Farm Management Practices and Its Contribution to Cocoa Yield in the Asutifi North District of Ghana

Abstract

Cocoa has been the most important cash crop in Ghana, contributing significantly to the country’s GDP and providing a significant source of income for a lot of households. The government, in trying to support the cocoa sector, has implemented several measures to help farmers achieve maximum cocoa output. However, there are still challenges in the sector. This study looked at the management practices adopted by farmers and its impact on cocoa yield in the Asutifi North District of Ghana. Using a mixed-method approach, questionnaires were administered to 200 farmers in the Asutifi North district using a multi-stage sampling technique (cluster and convenient sampling). Moreover, one chief farmer in the district and a farmer in each study community were interviewed. Focus Group discussions were also organized in each community with a group of farmers, not more than 10 in each instance. The study revealed that farmers perceived both natural and anthropogenic factors as having an effect on cocoa yield. The natural factors include rainfall and temperature whilst the anthropogenic factors include some farm management practices. Also, majority of farmers engage in practices such as fertilizer application, spraying of insecticides and fungicides, pruning and the use of hybrid seeds to increase cocoa yield, whiles practices such as hand pollination, irrigation and planting of shade trees are least practised by farmers. Farmers faced some challenges in farm management practices which include inadequate education and training, financial constraints and political factors. It is therefore recommended that the government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture should ensure that more extension officers are sent to cocoa farming communities to educate the farmers on the best farm management practices. Also, special arrangements should be made for farmers to be provided with financial resources to enable them to acquire farm inputs and depoliticization of government interventions in the cocoa sector.